Ramp device for automatic train-control systems



6. a. KENT ET AL RAMP DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS FiledJan. 15; 1922 Nov. 17", 1925.

Patented Nov. 1?, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTIS B. KENT, OF WASHINGTOE, IDISTRIGT OF COLUMBIA, AJlTD BOBERTL.IJIILLER, OF

SIOKAIIE, VJ'ASEENGTOH; SAID HELLER ASSIGNOR T0 OTIS AUTOMIATIC TRAINCONTROL, INC., 4')? SPOKANE, WASZZIl lGTON, A .CGBIEORATIQN OFWASHING-TON.

RAM? DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEMS.

' Application filed January 13, 1922. Serial No. 529,011.

tain new and useful Improvements in Ramp Devices for AutomaticTrain-Control Systems, of which the following is a specification. 4

Our invention relates to improvements in track mechanisms automatictrain control systems, and it consists more particularly rt. 4 L

of a ramp device which is capable of movement into and out of the pathof travel of a shoe constituting a part of the train carried mechanismswhereby, under predetermined conditions, said shoe may be actuated tocause the train carried mechanism to act on the air brakes of the trainthereby to control the travel of the latter.

An important purpose of our invention resides in the provision of a rampdevice of the character mentioned which is of simple and comparativelyinexpensive construction,

possessing few parts compactly arranged and unlikely to get out oforder, which is gravity-operated to a normally active shoe actuatingposition, and which may be electrically or otherwise operated toinactiveposition, being capable of quick recovery fromthe latterposition to normal or active position.

Other purposes as well as the nature and advantages of ourimprovementswill be apparent to those skilled in the art to which our inventionappertains when the accompanying drawings are considered in the light oftheir related detailed description,

' in which connection it will be understood hinged ramp rails associatedwith our device to be actuated thereby; and V Fig; 3, a view similar toFig. 2 showing a modification of our invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

particularly to Figures 1 and 2,10 designates "an elongated :hollowcasing which serves as a housing and support for the movable elements ofour device and which is adapted to be secured in any suitable mannerv atadesired location along the tracks of a railroad to dispose saidinovable-elements inposition to actuate a train carried shoe 11connected in any preferred manner to suitable mechanism wherebyactuation of said shoe Wlll, under predetermined conditions, act throughsaid mechanism to controlthe travel of the train. The specific type ofmechanism to be actuated by our improvedv ramp device constitutes nopart of our presentinvention and we have therefore il-' lustrated onlythe shoe element of one form of such mechanism to show the relationbeing '10 isprovided with a slot 12 opening through its upper surfaceand that operating I in said slotis a member 13. This member consists ofa lever which is intermediately pivoted as at 14c for swinging movementin a vertical plane, and one end of the same is weighted as at 15thereby to cause its other end portion 16 to project through the slot12' and be disposed normally in shoe actuating position. The upper edgeof the end portion 16 is of rounded cam shape whereby the shoe 11 willride upward'thereon as it moves over the mechanism 1n either direction.I i

Flexibly' connected in any' suitable man- 1 nerv with the end portion 16of the member 13 is the core 17. of a solenoid winding 18, which latterwhen energized effects a pull on the core 17 and thereby depresses theend .16 of member 13 out of the path of travel of the shoe 11. Thewinding 18 may be connected with a block signal system in any preferredmanner whereby it will be energized upon predetermined movement of thesemaphore arms or'signaling devices of the system, or the same may beenergized at rect engagement with the shoe to effect its operation, inwhich event, as shown in Fig. 2, we have provided an arrangementembodying ramp rails which may be moved to active and inactive positionsby the member 13. This arrangement consists of a ramp rail 19 hinged atone end to the easing 10 and at its other endto a second ramp rail 20,the free end of which latter rests slidably on the casing. The pivotalor hinged connection between the rails overlies the cam end of member 13so that as said member is raised or depressed corresponding movement isimparted to said rails.

In Fig. 3 a slightly different structural arrangement is illustrated foraccomplish ing the same purpose in substantially the same manner as thestructure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. This modified arrangementincludes a hollow casing 10 having pivoted therein a cam member 13 ofpeculiar shape for raising and lowering a pair of ramp rails 19 and 20*,both of which are pivoted at their outer ends to the'casing and havetheir inner ends disposed relatively in juxtaposition in overlyingrelation to the cam 13 The cam member 13 is of substantially horseshoeshape and its pivot is near the free end of one of its arms and itsother arm is weighted as at 15 whereby a part of its intermediateportion which is formed into cam shape similarly to the member 15 isnormally disposed above the casing and holds the rails 19 and 20normally elevated.

The means for depressing the'member 13 into thecasing to allow the ramprails to drop down from their elevated shoe actuating position consistsof a rod 21 pivoted at one end as at 22 to the casing and extending pastthe member 13 toward a solenoid winding 18 On or near the free end ofthis rod is provided a core 17 for the winding 18 and a pin 23 on thememher 13 is disposed in a slot 24L in the rod whereby upon energizationof the winding 18 a pull is exerted on the core to move the free end ofthe rod downward and thereby transmit such movement to the member 13" byreason of said pin and slot connection. The member 13 is operable toactuate a shoe either with or without the ramp rails 19 and 20 the sameas member 13.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it is believed that the construction and operation of ourdevice will be clearly understood, and while we have herein illustratedand described one specific embodiment of our invention the same is notlimited to the details shown, except to such limitations as may becontained in the appended claims.

We claim 1. A ramp device for automatic train control apparatusincluding a pair of upwardly projectible ramp rails pivotally connectedtogether, a weight operated member normally exerting an upward force atthe point of pivotal connection of said rails to maintain the latternormally projected, and electro-magnetic means to retract said memberthereby to permit retraction of said ramp rails under the influence ofgravity.

2. A ramp device for automatiotrain control mechanisms comprising acasing, a pair of pivoted, proj ectible and restractible ramp railscarried by said casing, an intermediately pivoted member one end ofwhich is of cam shape and the other end of which is weighted to normallyproject its cam shaped end into direct contact with said ramp rails tonormally project the latter, and means to retract the cam shaped end ofsaid member thereby to permit depression of said ramp rails under theinfluence of gravity.

3. A ramp device for automatic train control apparatus comprising acasing, a member within said casing pivoted intermediately and havingone end weighted whereby its other end is maintained normally elevated,a pair of projectible, gravity depressible ramp rails carried by saidcasing, said ramp railsbeing pivotally connected together, an operativeconnection between the normally elevated end of said member and saidramp rails whereby the latter are maintained normally projected, andelectro-magne'tic means for retracting the normally elevated end of saidmember whereby said ramp rails may be depressed by gravity.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures.

OTIS B. KENT. ROBERT L. MILLER.

